Bushwig began as a chaotic party in someone’s backyard in 2011. In the 11 years since it was founded in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood, it has evolved into a two-day extravaganza in Queens with more than 150 performers – and tours the world with events in Los Angeles, New Orleans and Berlin. The event resembles a deranged and depraved variety show – a seemingly endless showcase of emerging and experienced drag talent in a rave atmosphere. This year saw performances from gay icons including Amanda Lepore and the drag queen Lady Bunny as well as a much-anticipated DJ set from Chelsea Manning (“the most 2022 thing I have ever heard”, according to one attendee).
Bushwig has a punk ethos, embodied by the explicit artworks and semi-offensive slogan T-shirts on sale (“Sodom today, Gomorrah the world”) along with avant-garde and kink-inspired outfits that make the eyes boggle. Despite the high ticket prices (almost $90 for a weekend pass), and the large venue (the Knockdown Center), Bushwig remains the beating heart of American underground drag culture – it makes RuPaul’s Drag Race look like finishing school.
